My favorite songs are ballads. They tell an entire story in a song. If the story is important, then it is easily taught and remembered through a ballad.
Certainly, songs cannot replace the Bible as the chief learning tool for Bible believers.
However, second in line of importance as a means of teaching, preaching, and hiding the Word of God in one’s heart is memorization of Christ centered songs.
There is no story that is more important the saving Grace of Jesus Christ.
There is no story that should be remembered and often repeated than the amazing grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Crucified One.
Of all the songs of all Christendom, there is no song that tells of the journey of a believer than ‘Amazing Grace’.
Most people who speak English know the first verse of the song; but few people know all seven verses. Here they are in order, with my comments on each verse.
Amazing grace, How sweet the sound
that saveda wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
was blind but now I see
This verse tells the story of someone who was lost, and how amazing that God opened his eyes to see a way out of his wretched state. While the song’s writer, John Newton, a slave trader, was obviously a wretched human being, everyone is a ‘wretched human being’ when compared to the perfection of God.
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
and grace my fears relieved
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed
In the writers lost and wretched state, the Grace of God came to who him and caused him to realize his fallen state and separation from God because of his sin. He KNEW he was headed for hell. BUT, then the Champion of Grace, Jesus Christ, saved his soul and relieved him of his fears of a future in hell. No wonder Newton describes this grace as precious.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come
Twas grace that brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.
Newton had gone through more obvious dangers, toils, and snares than most of face today. However, we also face rough and uncertain times. It is the grace of God that takes us through whatever we face, just like grace carried John Newton through.
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and protion be
As long as life endures
I just love this verse. I don’t know what nut case edited it out of the hymnal. As long as we live, God has promised good to His children. God Almighty is the one who takes us through the battlefield of life.
Yea, when this fleash and heart shall fail
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the vail
A life of joy ane peace
Now I really love this verse.
When we die we go to heaven. It is as simple as that.
In the place Jesus Christ calls heaven, we will have joy and peace for eternity.
We will be reunited with loved ones who died in the Lord.
We will work at things we love.
No more war, no more striving among the nations, nothing bad will be there.
Did I mention we will see our loved ones there?
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
the sun forbear to shine
But God, who called me hwere below
Will be forever mine
Are you worried about destroying the earth? Don’t waste your time. You are required to be a good steward of the things that God puts under your control, but saving the planet is not your job. God has a plan that provides you with a secure future in a wonderful place.
2 Peter chapter 3:10-14 says:
10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Pay special attention to verse 14. Citizens of this world are prone to say that Christians tend to dismiss worries about the environment because we are looking for a new heaven and new earth. We are not excused from being responsible in how we treat where we live. We should be careful that we are not wasteful, as our Jesus was not wasteful.
An example is when Jesus fed the 5,000. At the end of the meal, he had the disciples gather up the leftover food. Jesus did not leave a mess to ruin on the grounds of that supernatural event. He did not waste the leftover food.
Just use common sense. Of course the MAIN thing to watch is your Christian walk and testimony.
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than we first begun
How wonderful! The ballad ends with an eternal happy ending.
The end of every human being will either be eternally happy, or eternally sorrowful. Those who accept the offer of the ‘Amazing Grace’ of Jesus Christ are assured of a very happy ending.
Those who reject His grace have doomed themselves to sorrow.
Tell the world that Jesus saves.
Tell the world about His ‘Amazing Grace’.
If I had five minutes to speak to a million people about the way into heaven, I would:
1. Quote Genesis 1:1. – explaining were we came from.
2. Quote John 3:16 – explaining how to reconcile with God.
3. Sing all the verses of Amazing Grace – giving the story of how the life a Christian goes from start to finish.
Because of His grace, God seeks the lost and saves them when they ask Him.
God takes His adopted children through everything to the eternal safety of heaven.
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/m/a/amazing_grace.htm
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